->'''Raphael:''' Where's Splinter?\\'''Shredder:''' Ah, the rat! So it has a name! ... It ''had'' a name.\\'''Leonardo:''' YOU LIE!!\\'''Shredder:''' (''smiling evilly'') Do I?-->-- ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1990''

Someone important to one of the heroes has died. Sometimes, the dead person has been killed because they're too close to the hero (or perhaps due to a HeroicSacrifice that benefits the hero in some way). Other times, the dead character was following the hero's orders. And maybe it was just their time.

Whatever the situation, someone ''else'', typically the villain, dismisses the dead person, as if their death was just another RedShirt [[ButForMeItWasTuesday death that carried little meaning]].

It is at this point that the hero invokes this StockPhrase: "He had a name!" This shows that the dead character wasn't just a faceless casualty of the story, but was actually important. They mattered. See NominalImportance, which is very closely related to this trope. See also TheDeadHaveNames.

!!'''As a DeathTrope, all Spoilers will be unmarked ahead. Beware.'''

---- !!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]] * Yuji says this to Shana about Yukari Hirai in ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana''.** Yuji also makes a point that he has a name and isn't just an inconsequential, forgettable Torch, and even names Shana just to establish the importance of identity.* Invoked during the final battle of ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]''. Chang Wufei asks Treize Khushrenada how many countless soldiers he'll sacrifice. Treize responds he ''has'' counted, and makes it a point to catalog and remember the name of every soldier he loses in the campaign so that their sacrifices won't be forgotten or in vain.* [[LightNovel/{{Baccano}} "His name was Tony!"]]* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': DisappearedDad Hohenheim has apparently spent a few hundred years obsessing over this. All his half of the souls of Xerxes that his '[[BigBad eldest son]]' stole and split between them he has gotten to know by name and forged an alliance with, and on at least one occasion before he does some major alchemy he does a mantra of them before saying, "I'm going to have to use you." This attitude is what means he's still human, despite [[IAmAMonster his catch phrase]].* ''Manga/DragonBall'' - Frieza killing Krillin is what pushes Goku into going Super Saiyan, and casually referring to him as "that Earthling" just pisses him off that much more.--> "That little bald guy was my best friend. His NAME WAS KRILLIN!!"** Depending on the dub, Krillin could also be referred to as 'the short, bald one" or equally offensive and callous things.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]] * In ''Cosmic Odyssey'', a Creator/DCComics CrisisCrossover, the day is saved by Forager, one of the people known as "bugs" from the planet New Genesis who made a HeroicSacrifice. Orion, one of The ComicBook/NewGods of New Genesis, barely acknowledges this fact, causing Batman to hit him and shout ''"His name was Forager!!"''* In the graphic novel: ''ComicBook/SgtRock: Between Hell and a Hard Place'', after a soldier lost a comrade in battle, he is upset when Sgt. Rock gives everyone nicknames. He invokes this trope to call in Rock’s apparent callousness. (''He had a name, and worked in a Steel Mill''). Rock defies it explaining that they are at war, and that war needs them to be other men that they were:-->'''Sergent Rock:''' Look... [[ThatManIsDead who you were, you left stateside. You're lucky, you'll get to be that person again. In Easy, who we are now is all that matters]]. [[WarIsHell This war,]] [[MoralEventHorizon you're gonna do some things the person you were might find damn hard to live with]]. So I'm doing him a favor, and leavin' 'im home.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]] * The trope name was quoted verbatim in ''Film/FightClub'' by the Narrator after the death of his friend Robert Paulson, when one of the members of Project Mayhem suggests disposing of "the body" by burying it in the garden. The Narrator's speech [[NiceJobBreakingItHero accidentally finishes turning Project Mayhem into a]] MartyrdomCulture: they reconcile it with Tyler's demand that the "Space Monkeys" [[YouAreNumberSix go without names]] by concluding that Robert ''earned'' his name in death.-->'''Space Monkeys:''' (chanting in unison) [[MemeticMutation His name is Robert Paulson. His name is Robert Paulson.]] [[MadnessMantra His name is Robert Paulson.]]* The exchange in ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'': -->'''Tembo:''' The Rex just fed, so he won't be hunting for a while. -->'''Ian Malcolm:''' Just ''fed?'' I assume you're talking about Eddie? You know, you might show a little more respect! The man saved our lives by giving his! * Subverted in ''Film/TheShawshankRedemption'', when the prisoners find out that "Fat Ass" died during the night after being beaten to a bloody pulp by Captain Hadley. -->'''Andy Dufresne:''' What was his name?\\'''Heywood:''' What?\\'''Andy Dufresne:''' I was just wondering if anybody knew his name.\\'''Heywood:''' Fuck do you care, new fish? Doesn't fuckin' matter what his name was. He's dead.* In their [[Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1990 first movie]], the Shredder, the Turtles' enemy, uses this trope to imply that their master is dead, providing the page quote. Fortunately for our heroes, he's wrong, although he had been under the assumption that Splinter had been killed by his followers already.-->'''Raphael:''' Where's Splinter?\\'''Shredder:''' ...Ah, the rat! So it has a name...it ''had'' a name.\\'''Leonardo:''' [[ThatLiarLies YOU LIE!!]]\\'''Shredder:''' (''slowly smiles sadistically behind his mask'') [[VillainsNeverLie Do I?]]* In ''Film/ElectricDreams'', the computer pulls an ''I'' Had A Name variant by identifying himself in his "dying" speech as Edgar. * In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', Iron Man tells Loki about one other person he pissed off, on top of the other Avengers he's managed to anger. He's referring to Phil Coulson, killed by Loki earlier in the movie.-->'''Iron Man:''' And there's one other person you pissed off. [[FirstNameBasis His name]] [[TheHeart was Phil]]. (''Iron Man zaps Loki with a repulsor blast'')* Variation in ''Film/USMarshals'': As Noah lies mortally wounded in an ambulance, and the Emts work on him desperately, they say encouraging things like, "Stay with us, Buddy/Pardner/Pal." Gerard, sitting in the ambulance in the midst of a HeroicBSOD, says very quietly, "His name is Noah." The Emts immediately switch to using his real name. Unfortunately, it doesn't help.* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Joker invokes this on purpose, pretending Rachel's name slipped his mind, to further push Harvey Dent/Two-face's insanity.* There's a sort of inversion in ''Film/ReservoirDogs'' in which Mr. White breaks the no names rule, telling a dying Mr. Orange his name without realising he's an undercover cop.* Early in ''Film/FaceOff'' there's a variation in which the names of several dead people are not forgotten, but rather omitted. After capturing Castor Troy, Sean Archer angrily reacts to a bottle of champagne with a note reading "just for you" by listing the names of all of the agents who were shot dead by Castor and Pollux during the shootout at the airport.* Subverted in ''Film/PhoneBooth'' when Stu tells the sniper that nobody will remember his name (and won't learn from his mistake) if he kills him, challenging him to name a single victim of a serial killer.* Played with for HypocriticalHumor in ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'', in a rare non-fatal version:--> '''Andrew''': Yeah, well he's got a name What's your name?* In ''Film/TheHungerGames'', Clove is about to kill Katniss and takes a minute to gloat about the death of Rue (whom Katniss had a close friendship with)...unfortunately for Clove, she made the mistake of doing this within earshot of ScaryBlackMan Thresh, who is from the same district as Rue and was also extremely close friends with her. In the [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown brutal asskicking]] that ensues, Thresh forces Clove to say Rue's name before killing her.* In ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', the villain Silva demands that M say his real name, wanting proof that he was more than just some random agent sent out to do her bidding. She refuses and promptly seals her fate.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* In Robert Jordan's ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' Rand has memorized a list of every woman he has ever killed or caused to die, and once LT shows up he starts adding names from him too.* A somewhat watered down version in the ''Literature/FarsalaTrilogy''. Kavi wasn't killed, but he's been captured, and the odds of him being executed are about 50/50. Jiaan, who has referred to Kavi exclusively as 'the peddler' for the whole three books due to dislike that grew into murderous hate, tries to brush off a plea to rescue him, and gets chewed out for not even calling him by his name while doing so.* One of the [[{{Defictionalization}} defictionalized]] ''Series/{{Castle}}'' books has the ''heroes'' be reminded that a victim had a name. The cops find a John Doe corpse that had been gnawed on by a coyote, and even after they determine his identity, they continue to call him "Coyote Man." They claim that this kind of BlackComedy is necessary in order for cops to cope with the number of dead people they have to think about all day, but after one cop interviews the dead man's nephew, he stops calling the man "Coyote Man" and snaps at anyone else who tries.* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. King Stannis is contemplating the HumanSacrifice of Edric Storm, bastard offspring of his philandering brother. In an effort to avert this [[MoralityPet Davos Seaworth]] keeps mentioning Edric by name every chance he gets.* The third and final ''Dogs Of The Drowned City'' book has Snoop the greyhound being run over by a car, to the shock of almost everyone. When he's carried off by the humans who ran him over, [[EvilFormerFriend Zeus]] remarks "The dog should've gotten out of the way", making [[TheHero Shep]] snarl "His name was SNOOP!"[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]] * This happened on ''Series/{{Lost}}''. -->'''Sawyer:''' So... old Steve drew the short straw. -->'''Hurley:''' Dude! His name was ''Scott!'' * PlayedForLaughs in an episode of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', where the "dead guy" is an XBox. ** Gets much naughtier when you realize that Ted was offering Barney his XBox, not knowing that Barney was also chasing after his EX-GIRLFRIEND. One wonders what Barney *thought* he heard Ted saying...** Subverted in the episode "Monday Night Football." A worker in the bar dies and Wendy the Waitress says he really liked the gang, who can't remember whom she is talking about. Later, at the wake, when they see the body, all five recognize the man's face (in a comical "Oooooh!" moment) which they try to pass off to Wendy and Carl the bartender as sorrow. FutureTed still doesn't remember if the man's name was "Matt," "Mike," or "Mark."* In ''Series/JustShootMe'', Elliot accidentally breaks one of Dennis' porcelain cats and offers to replace it. -->"''It''? ''It'' had a name! Oh, Skittles!" * In ''Series/DoctorWho'', the Tenth Doctor had a clearly-labeled BerserkButton for people who made this mistake:** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E5ThePoisonSky "The Poison Sky"]], the UNIT commander who refused to order a retreat keeps trying to raise the last man on his radio even though he's clearly been shot dead, and the Doctor tells him off:--->'''UNIT Commander:''' Greyhound Forty, come in! Greyhound Forty!\\'''The Doctor:''' He wasn't Greyhound Forty. His name was Ross. Now listen to me, and [[LargeHam GET THEM OUT OF THERE!]]** In the next episode, a character is dismissed as "collateral damage". To which Donna replies:--->'''Donna:''' Her name's Martha! And she's not collateral damage for anyone!** A variation at the end of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E9TheSatanPit "The Satan Pit"]]. Humans of the future have enslaved an alien race known as The Ood, which were treated like robots or cattle. When the humans evacuate the station, all the Ood are left to die, which clearly distresses The Doctor. When the surviving captain makes his report, he lists the deceased Ood individually (by designation number).** The Ood who dies at the beginning of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E3PlanetOfTheOod "Planet of the Ood"]] gave his designation number when they asked for a name, and Donna used it comfortingly. It is unclear whether psychic-natural Ood traffic much in names, but whenever the Doctor visits the Oodsphere afterward it seems [[MeaningfulName Ood Sigma]] is there to meet him.** There's a variation in the episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E10Midnight "Midnight"]]. After the stewardess sacrifices herself to kill the monster, the other passengers are ashamed to realize that none of them... not even the Doctor... knew her name. ** The Eleventh Doctor appears to have retained it. In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E6TheVampiresOfVenice "The Vampires of Venice"]]:--->'''The Doctor:''' [[BadassBoast This ends today. I will tear down the house of Calviera stone by stone.]] And you know why? You didn't know Isabella's name. You didn't know Isabella's name.** Slightly subverted in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E5WorldWarThree "World War Three"]]: When a minor character dies and Harriet Jones admits that she doesn't know his name, even though she had a number of conversations with him throughout the day, the Ninth Doctor ''doesn't'' shame her for it (he just briefly apologises to the corpse and tries to arrange it in a more dignified position). Nothing more is made of it in that episode, it's just one of life's little injustices. However, later on, in [[Recap/DoctorWho2005CSTheChristmasInvasion "The Christmas Invasion"]], now-Primeminister Harriet Jones is shown making a point of asking even minor flunkies she talks to for their names. It's not explained why she does it, but it was probably meant as a ContinuityNod to show that, even without the Doctor getting all self-righteous about it, she learned her lesson.** Inverted in the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E1TheImpossibleAstronaut Series Six opener]] when a Silent kills a woman in front of Amy for no clear reason other than her seeing it. Amy says that it didn't have to kill her, since she couldn't even remember it (which is the Silent's power; you forget them as soon as you look away), to which it simply responds that the woman's name was Joy.* ''Series/TheProfessionals'' has a variation: In "Killer with a Long Arm," a forensics lackey dismisses a murder victim as "nobody," meaning that he was unconnected to their main case. Doyle immediately snaps, "Nobody's nobody," haranguing him about the fact that the victim had a wife and children. Of course, since Doyle was the one who asked who the dead man was, we never do learn his name. * Unique variation in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''. The BigBad of the first two seasons, the yellow-eyed demon, is finally killed in Season 2 yet we still don't know his name. A demon later reveals his name to be Azazel in Season 3, saying "You think his brothers just called him Yellow-Eyes? He had a name."* In one episode of ''Series/{{Hardcastle and McCormick}}'', Hardcastle has to deal with a police captain who, twenty years ago, shot an unarmed teenager and then covered it up; when the case came before Hardcastle's court, the man was ruled innocent for lack of evidence. Twenty years later, Hardcastle hasn't forgotten:-->'''Filapiano''': Nobody even remembers that dumb kid's name.-->'''Hardcastle''': Johnson. His name was Cyler Johnson.* Happened once in ''Series/{{Monk}}'': in the episode "Mr. Monk and the Lady Next Door," the Guinness Museum's curator approaches Stottlemeyer and asks him if it is absolutely necessary to remove the body of a security guard who fell over a railing during a fight with an intruder (who stole an egg-eating robot) and got skewered on a swordfish display. Stottlemeyer replies, "Sir, um, that's a human being. He had a name. He had a family."* ''Series/{{NCIS}}''** In a first-season episode, Gibbs does this to the murderer of a fellow agent, just before pulling the trigger.---> '''Gibbs:''' His name was Special Agent Chris Pacci. And he was a friend.** And then again in "Once A Hero", when the head of a human trafficking ring dismisses the Marine he killed as just someone trying to be a hero.---> '''Gibbs:''' His name was Brian Wright. ''Sergeant'' Brian Wright, United States Marine Corps. Bronze Star, Purple Heart. He ''was'' a hero.** And after Eli David is assassinated and Jackie Vance is killed in the crossfire:---> '''Kasmi:''' Vance's woman is dead as well?\\'''Gibbs:''' Her name was ''Jackie''! She was a mother of two!* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'': When Saul Tigh and Caprica Six attempt to have a baby, they name him "Liam," after Admiral William Adama. When he dies ''en utero'', Tigh tells the Admiral the baby's name.* Occasionally in ''Series/{{Bones}}'', Booth implores Brennan to use the victim's name instead of "the victim" when talking to the bereaved family.* An episode of ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'' had a rare example of the perpetrator remembering the names of all his victims, who died as the result of a virus he unleashed with the endgame of trying to save many more lives. He was on his way to light candles for them in a church when he was caught.* ''Series/ThePretender'' episode "Back from the Dead Again", Jarod is a Med professor beginning a class with a speech about his one big rule.---> '''Jarod:''' I want each of you to understand that there is only one unforgivable sin in my class. I will not, under any circumstance, tolerate any disrespect for these cadavers. Underneath each of these plastic sheets lies a human being. Many of these bodies, they come to us unknown and unclaimed which means that they died alone and afraid with no friends, no home. Forgotten by their families and thrown away by society. Therefore, they will not be disrespected in this classroom.* Done twice in an episode of ''Series/TheFlash2014''. Energy-vampire Farooq goes after Dr. Harrison Wells for revenge. He was made the way he was when Wells' particle accelerator malfunctioned and exploded, and when his friends tried to resuscitate them, they were electrocuted. After stealing the Flash's powers and essentially making him useless, Farooq corners Wells, blaming him for the deaths of his friends. Wells not only agrees, he goes on to list their names, and the names of every other person who was killed due to his experimenting. Flash gets his powers back, and when Farooq tries to take absorb his energy, it becomes too much and kills him. When Cisco tries to give him his supervillain name "Blackout", Wells invokes the trope verbatim.* In the pilot of ''Series/{{Stitchers}}'', Kirsten points this out regarding her deceased ParentalSubstitute after one of her new co-workers carelessly refers to him as "the sample":-->'''Kirsten:''' The sample has a name: Ed Clark. * A variation on ''Series/{{ER}}'', when Doug brings one of his random one-night stands into the hospital, dying of a drug overdose. Everyone's disgust at his behavior is only heightened by the fact that he doesn't even ''know'' the woman's name. When he tries to seek sympathy from ex-girlfriend Carol, claiming, "I didn't know she was sick", she coldly tells him, "You didn't know her at ''all''".[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]] * Andrej Bukas (Андрей Букас) does this in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_YnKpMunYA Seryoga(]]Серёга). And it is heartbreaking.* Said by Dr. Wily in Music/TheProtomen. -->'''Reporters''': What was her name? -->'''Wily''': Doesn't matter. Now listen!* This refrain from Stockholm Syndrome by Muse:-->And she had a name. Yes she haaad a naaaame.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]* In ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'', Travis says this to Sylvia after killing Alice, the second ranked assassin. Given how metaphorical is the game and how often Travis likes BreakingTheFourthWall this could either be a TakeThat to the industry, a YouBastard to the player or maybe even both.* Completely subverted in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''. During the TearJerker BattleInTheRain - after Chrom's sister, Emmeryn, [[HeroicSacrifice kills herself]] [[SelflessWish to save both the enemy kingdom and her own]] - the enemy general [[HeelFaceTurn enemy general]] [[WhamEpisode vows to protect your party in Emmeryn's name if they surrender]]. Across the battlefield, Chrom screams [[VideoGameCaringPotential "Don't speak her name!"]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWO4ff1HXYY and the song of the same name]] [[BackgroundMusicOverride begins to play]]. The song that plays immediately preceding this is literally nameless, appearing as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=mu26zlkFb8g "....."]] in the sound test.* This happens in ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'', when Rebecca is talking about Subject 16, Desmond says, "His name was Clay."* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': A visitor to Zora's Domain comments on a statue depicting a departed Zora princess [[spoiler: and Link's childhood friend.]] Speaking to her about it has Link reply, "Her name is Mipha."[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]] * In ''Webcomic/Persona3FTW'', the HelloInsertNameHere trope is played with in this fashion when the team meets The Shadow Protagonist.--> '''Junpei''': "Is... Is that... HIM!?"--> '''Aigis''': "HEY! Show some respect! He had a name!"--> '''Junpei''': "...What was it?"--> '''Aigis''': "Hell, I don't remember..."[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]] * ''TheMercuryMen'': Before killing the sniper that killed Glenn, Yaeger tells him, "His name was Patrick Glenn. Apologize when you see him."* ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' - Nappa, being a PsychopathicManchild / {{Cloudcuckoolander}} in this universe, believes Chiaotzu to be a Pokemon. After Chiaotzu's unsuccessful self-destruct, Nappa calling him "that Pokemon" again pushes Tien over the edge.--> "You ''stupid...ugly...son of a bitch.'' His name... was CHIAOTZU!"[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]] * In the penultimate episode of ''WesternAnimation/ExoSquad'', Nara Burns delivers the BondOneLiner, "This was for my brother. His name was James!" right after she kills Phaeton. While Phaeton didn't directly kill James, he did start the war in which James died, and did not care at all about the people who died in it. * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': Stewie and Brian are stranded in the desert, night's approaching, and the only shelter option is their camel, cut open ''Franchise/StarWars''-style. Poor Stewie had already named him and given him a back-story.* Lampshaded in ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' during "Roy Rogers [=McFreeley=]", after a character dies (of natural causes) and another character is threatened:-->'''Stan:''' We've already lost Old Guy, we're not going to lose Speakerphone!-->'''Hayley:''' Dad, they had names --->'''Stan:''' ''There's no time for names! (to his daughter) Jugs! (to his son) Nerd! (to Greg and Terry) Gays! Let's go!'' [[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]* [[http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/in-honor-of-emory-a-homeless-man.jpg In honor of Emory. He had a name.]][[/folder]]----->'''[[Series/TheMuppetShow Waldorf]]:''' How could that villain off that character like that?! He Had A Name!\\'''[[TheStinger Statler]]:''' What was it?\\'''[[JustForFun/StatlerAndWaldorf Waldorf]]:''' I was saying he ''had'' a name, not that I knew what it was!\\'''[[ThoseTwoGuys Both]]:''' [[MemeticMutation Do-ho-ho-ho-hoh!]]